Posted on 06/21/2005 7:27:49 AM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush warned Arkansas Republicans not to let a hotly contested gubernatorial primary hurt the state party, even as he and other speakers at a fund-raiser Monday tried to strike a delicate balance between the two GOP hopefuls.
"It's important to have a contested primary as long as the ultimate focus is on winning the statehouse," Bush said, noting that in 1994, he won a five-way gubernatorial primary but went on to lose narrowly to Democratic incumbent Lawton Chiles. Bush said the tight primary contest caused Florida Republicans to lose their focus on the Democrats.
The message this time is targeted at an Arkansas Republican Party that faces financial problems from federal campaign finance fines and a 2006 gubernatorial primary between two political heavyweights: Lt. Gov. Win Rockefeller, the billionaire son of a former governor, and Asa Hutchinson, a former congressman and undersecretary of Homeland Security.
Monday's event found itself caught up in some of what Bush said must be avoided. Rockefeller was given a speaking role as lieutenant governor and, seemingly to make up for it, Bush, Huckabee and state GOP Chairman Gilbert Baker went out of their way to talk about Hutchinson.
But in the end, they took Bush's warning to heart and attention was turned back on the Democrats. In an interview with The Associated Press, Hutchinson said he was surprised by the level of interest so early in the 2006 governor's race and felt it could only be a good thing for the party.
And in his speech, Huckabee pointed out that 86 percent of elective offices in Arkansas are still held by Democrats.
"We are a long way from where we need to be and next year, we have to make a concerted effort to change this," he said. "There's nothing more important than for all of us to unite behind our party's nominee."
Bush also referred to a prominent Arkansas Democrat, but in a less adversarial way.
"I'm happy to be here in the home state of my adopted brother, if you believe my mother, who at the age of 80 unleashes the statement to the national media that she has taken to calling Bill Clinton 'son'" Bush joked, referring to the newly close-knit relationship between his father, former President George H.W. Bush, and Clinton.
The event took on the air of a farewell tribute to Huckabee, although he is not term-limited out of office until January 2007.
"Something tells me this will not be the end of public service for Mike Huckabee," Rockefeller said. "I know that wherever you go, you will be setting an example for Americans and Arkansans."
Huckabee, who took office July 15, 1996, is the nation's second-longest serving governor. Only New York Republican George Pataki has served longer. Huckabee became governor after Jim Guy Tucker resigned because of Whitewater convictions.
Huckabee, who recently lost 100 pounds and has written a book about his weight loss, will take over as chairman of the National Governors Association next month and has been floated by some political pundits and as possible 2008 presidential candidate.
Bush has consistently denied 2008 presidential ambitions. He will end his second term as Florida governor in January 2007.
Reed said Bush agreed to speak at Monday night's event because of his close relationship with Huckabee.
"He and Gov. Huckabee have worked together on many issues," Reed said.
Asa could have helped the party and the nation by running for the Senate in 2004.
He's a creep, as was his brother.
You get the feeling with Jeb, that unlike the rest of the family, he really really doesn't like this whole Clinton/Bush sr bonding thing.
He also seems to have avoided comments on it until this joke.
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